Kamayan Restaurant & Internet Cafe

[Received a tip that they will be closing down sometime later this month due to a lack of business. Yep, it’s all about location, location, LOCATION… if they were in Lucky Plaza… they would easily be one of the STARS with the food and prices that they offer.]
I walked by the first time not realizing that this was a Filipino food spot. I didn’t notice the sign but just looked in rather quickly and noticed a Chinese uncle running the place and thought of this place as just another Kopitiam. I did read the sign, however, the second time I walked by… which lured me right in.
Yes, there was a slight initial hesitation to how authentic this place would be considering that it was an obviously-​Singaporean-​Chinese-​uncle running the place (the first non-​Filipino out of all the Filipino joints I’ve tried so far). I guess it didn’t matter because shortly after, I found out the two Filipinos were running the kitchen and producing the food.
It was a «turo-​turo» (point to choose) Filipino spot with about 15 dishes to choose from as well as several ala-​carte options such as the popular pork sisig, crispy pata, and kare-​kare.
My first meal was IMPRESSIVE enough (and CHEAP enough) to lure me again for the next three more days in a row to try their other items.
The FOOD:
1. Pork Sinigang (pork in tamarind base soup) is one of the best — if not *the* best — I’ve had in Singapore and very close to «home». Flavor intensity is just about right and close enough to the Filipino sourness that I would swear by. Meat falls off the bone. Definitely recommend.
2. Bicol Express was a variation of and a milder version of the standard. I didn’t really like it and found it REALLY, REALLY, REALLY fatty, lol. Flavor is just decent and nothing spectacular. Skip.
3. Chicken Adobo reminds me of a small mom & pop shop in the Philippines that I used to have small meals at. Flavor is very much home-​cooked style and lovely. Definitely recommend.
4. Beef Kaldereta… albeit the amount of oil was intensely flavorful and surprisingly one of the few times I can say it’s REALLY good. Definitely recommend.
5. Pork Giniling (ground pork cooked in tomato sauce and some veggies) was delightful and once again, home-​cooked style.
6. Adobo Pusit (squid) was interestingly… more Chinese-​like than the Filipino versions I’ve had in the past. It still was good… but the style just doesn’t do the name justice.
7. Lechon Kawali (additional $ 4 if ordered in a «budget» meal) is the best I’ve had in Singapore… the skin was perfectly crispy and cut into larger cubes that was so FREAKING TENDER that all I could say was… WOAH…a MUST-​TRY!
AND for the DISH to try… before they disappear…
8. Pork Sisig is not the usual «unwanted parts» (ears, innards, cheeks) but the use of the previously mentioned dish — lechon kawali — cut even smaller cooked with CHOPPED red onions that came out so BUTTERY CREAMY… and so oily that drinking San Miguel (YES! They have San Mig for $ 4.50) with each bite was such an immaculate experience. I even brought more just for a previous UYE and everyone who tried agreed that it was REALLY good… a DEFINITE MUST-​TRY!
So I hope they don’t close down permanently but move to a better location — cough, Lucky Plaza, cough — OR I’m just going to have to hunt the chefs down at whatever their new place is and eat there again. =)
Unilocal 100: ¹⁸⁄₁₀₀